Mangalore : Members of Mangalore City North Block Congress staged a demonstration at the Mangalore Central Railway Station protesting the recent increase in railway passenger fares and freight rates on Monday June 23.

The Union government last week hiked the passenger ticket fares by 14.2 per cent and freight charges by 6.5 per cent.

Speaking at the protest meet, Congress leader Suresh Ballal said, The Modi government have hiked the rail fare within 20 days of coming to power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to bring “good days” during the election campaign has gone against its promises by increasing prices of petrol, diesel and train tickets, he said.

Congress North Block president Vishwas Kumar Das said, in a memorandum to Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, increasing the fares before the budget and without any discussion in the Parliament was “unconstitutional”.

The increase, which is bound to escalate prices of essential commodities, will have a significant impact on the common man who was already overburdened by spiralling prices, he said.

The party demanded an immediate rollback of the fares and said that if this was not done promptly, it would be forced to launch strong agitation, including protests and demonstrations against Union Ministers who visit Mangalore, he warned.